Tag: strings

Today has been packed full of action at the BNP Paribas. And within minutes of each other, the oldest and youngest ladies of the tournament walked off the court in winning fashion.

American Taylor Townsend, ranked 471 on the WTA and just 16 years old, made her Indian Wells debut today. She opened up play on the main stadium by beating Lucie Hradecka 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-3. While 42 year-old veteran, Kimiko Date-Krumm, ranked 75 on the WTA, had a battle of her own over on court 8, coming out with a win over Galina Voskoboeva 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

As refreshing as it is to see the youth of American tennis show up to play Indian Wells this year, it is a nice surprise to see some of the more “mature” players continue to see success on the court. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m inching closer and closer to a birthday of my own and when I step on the court I’m quick to realize I’m not 18 anymore! I’m years from the golden days when I spent four hours playing and training a day, my footwork has slowed down by a step or two, I find myself reaching for ice packs and heat rub more often, my aches and pains are just daily reminders that I have spent my life as a tennis player but they certainly don’t hinder me from getting on the court. However, the best part of getting older as a tennis player is becoming wiser. If only I knew back then what I know now!

Pair the older, more experienced players with the new technology that our game continues to offer and age quickly becomes just a state of mind! In today’s game, players have so many more choices on racquets, strings, even apparel and shoes that will help make them to be better, faster, and stronger. And if that doesn’t continue to help them stay competitive, the new technology we are seeing in the training world off the court continues to help athletes work more effectively, spending less time putting stress on their joints. And not to mention the mental capacity of the veteran tour players. Can you imagine the matches Kimiko Date-Krumm had before Taylor Townsend was even walking?! Experience is an advantage not to be overlooked.

So no more making excuses on the court about your age – tennis is a sport for life and age is just a number!

Here’s another week’s worth of string! I like to do a range of strings; random picks, just to keep things spicy so you all may see some of the wonders we have here in the Warehouse! My favorite of these picks is Luxilon 4G, (we actually did a playtest on the 16L version of the string and also a written review), and I went on a mission to see if anyone else in the office liked it. Strangely enough, I didn’t have to look far.

Jason, who happens to sit right next to me (how lucky can I get, wit and sarcasm all within a one meter radius!?), loves Luxilon 4G right now. When I asked for reasons why he liked it, he said, “It has great ball pocketing, it feels good, it feels ‘right.’ ” He then followed with, “When you know, you know, right?!” Yes, well. Maybe, Jason. He also said, “It fits into the softer poly category, it doesnt hurt my arm so I can use it all day and night.” I had to agree with him. I also enjoy the poly qualities: how I can really rip the ball and have it still drop into the court, and how I am able to take full cuts with this string, and not have to lay off for fear of things flying long. Jason also continued to describe the string as a nice color (too far J, too far) and Chris chimed in saying, “It’s as good as gold!!” which I thought was clever until I realized he was quoting off the Luxilon packaging. ENOUGH! You should try it.

The range and selection of strings at TW are phenomenal. Yes, there are a lot that are the same, that play similarly and have the same qualities and characteristics.. But.. there so many that are different, and if you dig deep enough, you’ll be able to find the string that is perfect for you (or if you’re like me, multiple perfect strings). This week I have a sweet selection of string videos for you. Let me know what your favorite string is right now.